Current electricity installations for residences or commercial locations are measured for their power consumption using standardized meters (watt-hour meters) which are inserted in standardized meter sockets. These sockets are comprised of standardized pins and sockets through which the various electrical interconnections from the electricity provided by a local electricity utility is passed through a meter and then delivered to the consumer. There are often multiple meters serving a single physical location.
In a standard meter, there is one side that serves as a conduit to an electricity provider (the “provider side”) and another side that is the conduit to supplying electricity to the premise or location that it services (the “consumer side”). The consumer side of the meters is usually wired to a panel box where the power flowing through the meter is distributed to the physical interior of the premise or consumer for use by the various loads and equipment of the consumer.
If a local generation system is to be used, currently, it may be connected to the panel box via a new conduit to the panel box. This new conduit source may be from the output of a grid compatible inverter, where it is connected to a new breaker on the premise's distribution panel. The new breaker must be sized according to the capacity of the panel box rating and the other loads present at the location or premise.
Current generations of systems for energy management, power management and performance measurement typically require an ability to measure the load (current, watts, KVAR, etc.) coming into a premise and usually this is difficult to access due to the limitations and security limits of existing electrical meters. The current practice requires current sensing coils to be somehow located and installed around existing wire and for voltage taps to be securely placed. Problems with physical access, variety of sizes and access issues typically arise.
This current practice has numerous flaws which results in longer than needed labor times and greater complexity of installation. For example, systems often may not be connected to local or renewable generators, advanced electrical storage or high current applications such as electric cars, because they have no physical space for an extra breaker or panel. In addition, there is often a need to reduce the size or cost of systems because of inadequate current capacity in existing panel boxes. Further, extra labor and design time is required up front to analyze and minimize costs and old systems often have to be completely replaced due to inability to locate available spare parts. Therefore, the present invention addresses these needs for simpler and faster interconnect means that allow for lower cost installation to more locations with less pre-planning and shorter lead times to accomplish the interconnect that can handle potentially more locally generated power.
Therefore, there exists a need for a simpler and faster interconnect means that allows for lower cost installation to more locations with less pre-planning and shorter lead times to accomplish the interconnect that can handle potentially more locally generated power.